midterm II learning objectives

Question 1

what is nitrogenase

Answer 1

enzyme that fixes atmospheric nitrogen, that many bacteria use

Question 2

how is a low O2 environ created inside the root nodule?

Answer 2

flavonoids from roots signal that the plant is looking for some rhizobia, and rhizobia in turn turn on Nod genes which cause root hairs to curl - nodule!

Question 3

mycorrhizal fungi
- two types + their roles
- what is glomalin
- what negatively affects mycorrhizal fungi

Answer 3

ectomycorr and endomycorr (arbuscular)

ecto live on and bw plant cells whereas endo live in the plant cell itself

glomalin is a glycoprot compound formed by mycorr that stabilize the soil by building soil aggregates

hurt by fungicides, pesticides, heavy machinery, and tillage

Question 4

what is the purpose of growing cover crops

Answer 4

‘green manures’ that naturally return nutrients to the soil when they die (also can be used to feed livestock)

Question 5

what are the top three cover crops grown in canadian prairies

Answer 5

clover, oats, peas

Question 6

what are warm season legumes?

Answer 6

soy beans
adzuki beans
cowpeas

beans bean the wonderful fruit the more you eat the more you toot the more you toot the better you feel so eat your beans at every meal ‼︎

Question 7

what are the top three challenges for growing cover crop in canadian prairies

Answer 7

1. shortness of growing season
2. low moisture in fall
3. additional costs (planting, care, etc)

Question 8

what are the two main agriculture production systems in sub-saharan africa

Answer 8

subsistence small scale + plantation

Question 9

what is the family of sorghum? where was it domesticated?

Answer 9

family: poaceae
domesticated in ethiopia

Question 10

what is teff? what are its main traits?

Answer 10

a cereal that is:

• drought tolerant, disease tolerant
• high in minerals
• susceptible to lodging (getting flattened by wind or rain)

Question 11

what is cassava? what are its main traits?

Answer 11

• perennial
• grows well in nutrient poor soil
• bitter varieties contain linamarin
• tuber (we eat the starch)

Question 12

what is the diff bw yams and sweet potatoes?

Answer 12

yams are monocots, sweet potatoes are dicots

Question 13

are plantains annual, biennial, or perennial?

Answer 13

perennial

Question 14

what are the key traits of pseduo cereals? what are some examples?

Answer 14

• dicots
• eat the seeds, which are high in prot

amaranth, buckwheat, chia, quinoa

Question 15

what are the key traits of bucckwheat?

Answer 15

• annual
• grows well in low fertile soil
• gets lodged in highly fertile soil
• pseudocereal

Question 16

why cant u eat quinoa seeds straight out the pussy?

Answer 16

quinoa seeds are coated in bitter saponins that u gotta wash off first

Question 17

what are the three sisters? what makes them family?

Answer 17

corn, bean, and squash

beans are N fixers, corn provides scaffold for beans to climb, squash protect the soil and block weeds

beans are high in prot, corn is a source of carbs, squash is high in other vitamins

Question 18

what is intercropping?

Answer 18

growing multiple crops together
1. sporadically
2. in rows
3. in strips (big rows)
4. relay (in staggered strips)

Question 19

what is the process to characterize the novel trait of a GE plant?

Answer 19

confirm that gene is expressed + translated into prot, and see if its transferred down generations

Question 20

what are the benefits of GE plants?

Answer 20

1. indiv genes can be targeted
2. genes can be fine tuned in specific ways
3. genes from any species can be used

Question 21

what were the findings from the GE broccoli study?

Answer 21

• preception of taste + appearance affects WTP
• people are WTP for eastern broccoli varieties

Question 22

what were the objectives of GE potato study

Answer 22

see how much people care about
- acrymalide reduction
- breeding tech used
- who the breeder is
- reduction in pesticides